Motor vehicle



Sept. 20, 1932.

A. MooRHousE 1,878,166

MOTOR VEHICLE Filed May 28, 1928 HLFHED NUUHHDUEE.

PatentedSept. 20, 1932 unirsi) STATES PATENTOFEIOEif?"' ALFRED MOoRIIousE-OE DETROIT, MICHIGAN., AssIGNORTO PACKARD MOTOROAR 'coIvIrAivY, YOE DETROIT, .MIOIIIGALL A CORPORATION OE MICHIGAN D MOTOR VEHICLE Application f11 edvMay 28,v1928'. Serial No. 281,012.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steering mechanism having a rock shaft provided with a segmental worm gear and a mounting for the shaft including a bushing and thrust bearings arranged one on each side of the gear with one of the bear-- ings engaging the bushing, and `means for adjusting the bearings.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, which forms ya part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2, and l Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line v v -cumferential groove 38 which registers wlth 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the drawing, represents a side member of a motor vehicle chassis frame having secured thereon a housing 11. As shown, the housing 11 is provided with a sleeve 12 having a flange 13V secured to the frame member as by bolts 14.

Extending through the housing is a steering post 15 having positioned therein the conventi onal control elements and positioned on the steering post within the housing is a steering worm 16 andarranged above and below the steering worm are thrust bearings 17 and 18. The lower bearing 17 is positioned between a shoulder 19 formed on the housing and the lower end of the steering worm, and

the upper bearing 18 is positioned between the upper end of the steering worm and a sleeve 20, engaging which is a bearing adjustment nut 21 positioned on a steering tube 22 and threaded into the casing.

The sleeve 12 has positioned thereinfa bushing 23- provided with an aperture 24 which lregisters with a lubricating duct 25 in the sleeve 12. As shown, the bushing 23 has a `flange 26 engaginga shoulder 27 in the 'sleeve' Vand the bushing is of suicient length to eX- v'tend beyond one end of the sleeve 12'through an opening 28 inthe side member 110. -Posi tioned in the bushing 23 is a rock shaft 29 ment 30 inmesh with the worm'gear 'lon the steering post and positioned on the lrock shaft are inner and-Outer thrust bearings "3 1 and32.- `1

tially flush with the ange on the bushing 23 andthe flange of the segmental gear 30, and the outer bearing 32 which is provided with 4 a diskrace 34 lieu ofthe conventional ring raceisrpositioned on the end of the shaft between the flange' of the segmental gear' and an The inner bearing 31 is'positioned between a shoulder -33 formed on the sleeve substan- -having thereon within the housing a gear segadjustable screw; 35 threaded in a cover plate V36 secured on the casing'in any preferred manner, the adjustment screw being retained in adjusted position by means of 'azretain-ing member 37 suitably secured tothe cover plate.

The rock shaftf29 is'providedwith azci'r-` v the aperture 24 in the bushingto facilitate crank arm, not shown,V or other suitable means of securing the crank'ar'm maybe employed.

- Although this invention has been` described in v'connection vwith certain specific embodiments, the principles involved: are susceptible -of numerous-"other applications Vwhich 'will 'readily occur to persons skilled in the-art.

The invention is, therefore, to be'limited-'only as Yindicated'by the scope of the appended claims'.

'Having thus describedthe-various fea- "j i tures ofgmy invention,' what I claim as'n'ew and desire to secure by Letters Patentis :i

` 1. fIn a'steering mechanism7 the Vcombination, of a housing having a bearing therein, a steering. post' having a fworm'gear* thereon Within the housing, a. rock shaft having a gear segment at one end thereof, said rock shaft being mounted in the housing bearing with its gear segment in mesh with said worm gear, an .annular ball thrust bearing between said rook shaft and thehousing at one side of the gear segment, an annular. ball thrust bearing for the rock shaft at the other Aside of said gear segment, said latter bearing includingan--abutment means, and adjustable 'the cover .end of the shaft, a bearing jon the rock Shaft between a shoulder in the housing i Vand the flange of the gea-r and a second-bearing, having .a-disk race, on the shoulder at the lCover end of the rock .shaft between the iiange of the gear and the set screw.

3. 1A.' `Steering mechanism comprising a housing I having a sleeve formed integral therewith, a steering post extending through the housing, a worm gear in the housing and :fixed-i on the steering post, a cover for the housing,

a bushing inthe sleeve,a flange on the bushing engaging a shoulder within the housing, a rock shaft journaled in the bushy ing and extending into the housing, a segmental gear carried by the rock shaftand meshing with the worm gear in the housing,

a :bearing on the shaft between a shoulder shaft intermediate the circular wall flange and the segmental gear, one of the races being adapted to engage the end of the circular flange and the other race being adapted to engage the gear segment, another ball bearing on the other side of the segmental .gear including a. race surrounding the rock shaft and adapted to engageV the segmental l .gear and a disk raceI traversingwthe end of the shaft but spaced therefrom, anda. screw abutment member 4extending through the removable housing wall and engaging the cen-1 Vter ofthe disk race to hold the bearings and .gear .segment .axially in the housing with the bearings engaging the segment and with one of the bearing races-engaging the circular wall flange. l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALFRED yMOORHOUSE.

within the housing and the flange of the seg- Y mental gear, said bearing retaining the bushing in position, a second bearing on the other Side of the flange of the segmental gear having a disk ball-race member extending parallel with .the end of the shaft in the housing,

4.. In .a steering mechanism, a housing having an integral sleeve extending outwardly from a wall thereof and an inwardly extendingV circular flange coaxial with the sleeve, a

detachable housing wall opposite the circular flange, asteering post extending and Vascrew threaded throughthe cover to Y. engagethe central portion of the disk ballthrough the housing, a worm gear lixedon the .post within the housing, a bushing in the sleeve having a flanged end telescoped by jecting intothe housing, a. segmental gear in the/housing xed adjacent theend of .the rock shaft. and meshing with the worm. gear,

Va ball'bearing structure surrounding the rock .the proJecting circular wall flange, a rock Y shaft extending through the bushing and pro- 

